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United School District board members approved the district’s final budget of $23,359,321 with no tax increase for the 2022-23 fiscal year during a regular board meeting June 14.
The final budget was approved 7-1, with board member Hunter Overdorff being the only member to vote against it.
Although revenue for the school district remained the same at $22,931,390, according to Overdorff, expenses increased, resulting in a deficit of $427,931 to be transferred from the district’s general fund balance.
“Our expenditures went up, but our revenue stayed the same,” Overdorff said. “So, this is an increase on the budget.”
Overdorff said the budget increased from the 2021-22 fiscal year due to additional personnel expenses.
“This year, we have incorporated some things that are not only specific to this fiscal year but continue,” Overdorff said. “Adding salaries, benefit packages — those continue on forward. Unfortunately, that can incur higher costs.”
Overdorff said he voted against the final budget because of its high deficit, but he thanked United Superintendent Barbara Parkins for decreasing the deficit from where it stood in May.
“I want to thank Dr. Parkins for getting the deficit down from upward of ($750,000) to $427,000,” Overdorff said.
In other news Tuesday, board members accepted the resignation of United Junior/Senior High School Principal Edward Alexander, effective July 24.
Alexander served as the junior/senior high school principal for six months, since December 2021, after serving 10 years as an administrator in the Forest Hills School District.
Both Parkins and board President Eric Matava said they didn’t know why Alexander resigned. Matava said the position is already being advertised and the district is accepting applicants.
“(The position) would be on the district’s website under ‘employment,’” Parkins said.
The board accepted Parkins’ resignation due to retirement in May after nearly 10 years of service. The meeting was Parkins’ last regular board meeting as United’s superintendent.